


Absolute Pin

by Shippaddict



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Chess, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Bullying, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Online Friendship, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-03 01:21:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10956738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shippaddict/pseuds/Shippaddict
Summary: Takumi knows if he moves his rook he'll be in check, but he can’t let Bryn's queen any closer than it is. He's pinned, Bryn knows that as well as he does, the constant stasis of ‘typing in progress’ on the chat bar makes his blood boil. The smug one liner was moments away.‘Good job! Not perfect but much better this time. You move first next time.’ Takumi’s eyes widen, that’s a wild change in attitude from the last few games. He shakes the thought from his head and furrows his brow; expression suitably angry for his reply.‘what! do you think you are some kind of prodigal chess master｡’ There’s a knock on his door and he almost closes his laptop too quickly to catch the reply.‘Yeah, kind of.’





	1. English Opening

**Author's Note:**

> Gosh, this is gonna be my first multichapter on here! How exciting! Anyways, me and a buddy of mine have been working on the world building for this for like a year. I only just started writing it as prose a couple days ago! But yeah, I'm hoping to do some more extremely specific fire emblem aus in future! This will update like twice a month hopefully? Imakenopromises. Have Fun! My beta said it's fine but he's been wrong before and so have I, so feel free to comment constructive criticism.
> 
> Edit: I've attempted to make the dialogue easier to follow. Lemme know how I did by leaving a comment.

    Leo stumbles off the bus with a tired sigh, the commute is as exhausting as it was last year. He missed the summer, the vineyards and the routine of tending them. He scrubbed a hand over his face as Elise landed behind him, bus rumbling away. She took his hand.

“It’s only the second week back, Leo, you can’t seriously be tired already.”

Leo rubbed at his eyes then waved her off, letting himself fall into the rhythm of their swinging arms. He looked down at his sister.

“I know, I’m just getting back into the swing of things.” Elise hummed. “Sorry.”

She was watching him now from the corner of her eye, lashes heavy with make-up as she had resolved they would be weeks ago; dark and feminine just like her sister’s.

“You could still take the year out.” Leo swallowed. “Effie and me won’t let anyone gossip or anything, and Niles and Odin would come to visit.”

His palm itched against hers, his lungs feeling tighter than they had a moment before.

“No. I really couldn’t and I’d like, very much, to drop it.”

Her gaze rolled forward. Their arms still swinging, her skipping steps didn’t falter. Leo swallowed again, voice feeling too thick to talk through.

“I had art today,” Elise began, falling farther into familiar rhythm. “We were practicing drawing because our teacher says nobody knows how to draw in our class – which is completely untrue by the way –” Elise’s voice carried them over the bridge back into town. Leo focuses on the sweat gathering at his hair line until they’re across the water, until he feels like he can breathe again. “What’s on the list today?”

Leo’s thumb slips across his lock screen a few times before he hands it to Elise, whose thumb actually registers. She hands it back without looking back at him and waves at some passing cyclists.

“Xander says we’ve got enough for stroganoff, rabbit’s cheap.” Elise whined beside him. “You can have something else.”

“I wish rabbits weren’t so cute, they’d be so much easier to eat.”

Leo reads over the list a second time, committing it to memory.

“You don’t have to eat it if you really don’t want to.” She shakes her head pouting until the next cluster of tourists come past, walking this time. She waves like a princess, smiling brightly at each of them. They all wave back; bar a very flustered boy, who’s beginning to fall behind. When she giggles he takes off sprinting. “I thought Xander told you fourteen year olds don’t need to be dating.”

She snorts with laughter as they reach the town.

“Weren’t you dating at fourteen?” She bites her lip as she watches Leo scrunch his nose.

“That doesn’t count.” Elise is almost vibrating at his side as he scans over the shops. Butcher’s first. “It wasn’t even dating.”

She’s actively bouncing as he wipes the sweat from his neck, letting go of her hand to do so.

“Does Niles know it wasn’t dating?” Elise’s shoulders are shaking when he puts his hand on the door of the butcher’s.

“Of course, he does; he put his tongue in my mouth and I burst into tears.”

She bursts into laughter as he pushes the door open, the soft chiming of the bell indecipherable among the peals of her laughter.

    Leo feels like he’s underwater for the most part, like he’s neither sinking nor floating. Like he’s waiting just beneath the surface. He hasn’t figured out what he’s supposed to be waiting for yet but he’s sure it’ll come to him sooner or later. He swallows and his ear pops. Elise bounces back into view leaning on the counter beside the stove. The water-logged feeling washes away when she touches his wrist.

“I can wash it for you, if you want,” she says. It was important to remind him he had choices, and to ease him back into chores. “I won’t tell Xander if you don’t.” It’s the wink that seals the deal, Elise shepherds him from the room and promises to bring him up whatever dessert Xander brings home tonight. He’ll get first slice and everything. “Go do homework or something!”

He doesn’t have any of that either. Leo watches his sister skip back into the kitchen from the stairwell, she means well.

“Thank you, Elise.”

She doesn’t turn if she heard him.

    Leo slides into his desk chair and throws his laptop open with a bit more force than necessary. His phone is tossed onto the desk next it. Niles and Odin would be on skype probably, Niles would be off shift by now. He could call them maybe. He gets up to close his door as Elise’s music starts to blast through the house. Leo rests by the door, Elise’s entire library is upbeat and as bouncy as she is, whatever’s playing it’s in English. He leaves the door open, sliding back into his seat and opening his browser. It’d been months, Gods he hadn’t even thought of his account all summer.

“Not now,” he hushes at his beeping phone. It’s only messenger. He doesn’t want to read whatever it is. His hands shake as he hammers in the password to his old account. He couldn’t make a new one, it just wouldn’t do. “Oh, thank Gods.” He slouched back in his chair, his friend list had been decimated in his absence; the only people left on it had been gone longer than he had. However, he was nothing if not willing to make a fresh start. It was a spring clean in the season of his return, Leo smiled, that really sounded like something Bryn would’ve said. And so, he settled into the space he had carved for himself years ago; the fearsome handle of dark_mage_Bryn would without doubt become fearsome again.

“Elise, Leo; I’m home! Come down stairs, I’ve got tiramisu.” First slice.

 

    The ocean salt makes Takumi feel sticky, it’s humid today. His braid pulls tight at the back of his head, but if he untied it Oboro would not only be heartbroken at her ruined hard work, but would yell at him. Only one more year of tying it up and he would be in the clear. One more year of his stupid tight braid and he wouldn’t ever have to worry about his hair ever again, he’d let it grow forever. He ducked his head as he waved his friends away. He didn’t know why they bothered to walk him home anymore, nobody had given him any trouble since middle school. He watched them back-tracking, huddling closer together the father they got from him. Sakura would be home wouldn’t she, Hinoka wouldn’t appear until tonight. He groans and lets his head hit the wall as he shuffles through his bag for his mailbox key. It’s sharp against his palm when he finds it. Everything’s crushed at the corners.

“Hello Takumi, it’s a lovely day isn’t?” The saccharine songful voice of his neighbour makes him want to shudder. She’s smiling at him expectantly, her key peeking through her fingers. Ah, he hasn’t lifted his head off the wall. She’s waiting for him to move.

“Good afternoon Orochi, it’s just great.” Her smile is a tad more sympathetic as he peels himself from the wall. She opens her mouth to speak– “I know I can always talk to you, thank you for always being so patient with me, I’ll tell Mikoto you said hello.” Takumi clenches his teeth as he walks away, all of his self-control put into not sprinting. Her eyes bore into his back as he makes for the stairs.

    Sakura opens the door as he puts his key in, she looks between Takumi and his key and then her hand on the door. She waves at him a little redundantly and wanders back into the apartment.

“I’m making arancini, so if you want any,” she mumbled, “I’m making it.”

Takumi tugged at his braid, door firmly locked behind him. He really didn’t, but so long as it wasn’t one of Kagero’s many – many, many – recipes, it was likely edible. Sakura is staring at him. He decides he won’t deal with this until his shoes are off.

“Do you want any help?” He really doesn’t want to help and it must show on his face.

“I can do it myself, I don’t – I know how to make them, I don’t need supervised.”

Takumi makes a beeline for his bedroom picking out pins from his hair.

“Come get me if you need anything.” He really hopes she doesn’t, he closes his door behind him and sags against it. Tension seeping from his body. He’s as alone as he’s going to get.

“Do you want anything to drink?”

Takumi sags closer to the floor. The kitchen wasn’t far away at all.

“No thank you Sakura, keep an eye on your arancini.” As alone as he’s going to get.

    Takumi is by no means ungrateful for his friend’s protective nature, or his family being so close knit – knowing how it was for Oboro at least. But it’s starting to suffocate him. The last time he’d needed any kind hovering was years ago. Takumi wants to scream most days; nothing’s wrong except for everyone thinking something is wrong all of the time. The more he insists he’s fine, the more they begin to securitize. It’s neurotic and driving him up the God damned wall. He could vent it, tell his father all about what’s happening, ask for advice or something. But someone else would be home, and if not one of his siblings one of his neighbours would insist on checking in. Sakura knocks on his door again when her arancini is ready.

“They turned out really well, I think anyway. Do you like them?” Sakura sits down on his bed with a small plate. “I’m covering the rest for later, but these ones are yours.” She’s holding her hands in her lap. Takumi savours his second bite. “You had an okay day, right?”

“I had a really good day.” She watches him swallow, looking for any kind of tell. Takumi’s used to it. “The archery club isn’t reinstated yet, but we’ve already got three members.” Sakura makes a noble effort not to wince, but she isn’t as good at shoving that kind of thing down as Takumi. He shakes his head. “Don’t you have homework.”

“I’ve got most of it done but I could, front load it? I guess.” She scampers from the room and Takumi closes the door again. He grabs his laptop from his desk and sits down on his bed.

    He’s combing the waves from his hair when he sees it, a little square ad, all in English. His English isn’t perfect, but he knows chess when he sees it. He’s got a shogi app on his phone, it’s not the best but it passes the time. Whatever it is it boasts a userbase well into the tens of thousands each day, he thinks. He clicks the ad. It’s an easy enough sign up, the hardest part is a user name. It needs to be something clever, something English so that nobody will be put off; an English name for an English userbase. He hasn’t needed a username for anything since junior high and thinking of one is draining him of whatever energy he’ll need to sit through dinner. ArchArcher, like archduke. It sounded pretty regal, enigmatic. That’s exactly how he’d get matches. He’d just made an account. Takumi’s eyes widened, he’d made an account he didn’t need to tell anyone about.

“This is just between you and I, laptop,” he laughed. “It’s our little secret.” He logged just as Hinoka shouted from the doorway.

“We’re home!”


	2. Theoretical Novelty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘ArchArcher has accepted your game request!’
> 
> ‘ArchArcher: hello｡ are you ready to play｡’
> 
> ‘you best prepare yourself! i do not lose easy｡’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta fell asleep before reading the final draft.  
> Beta's asleep post corrections.

    Leo migrates from his ergonomic desk chair to the living room on Sunday morning. He carries his laptop under his arm, steps firm and careful descending the stairs. He sits it on the coffee table, before turning on the radio. Sunday mornings on the classical channel they play the movie charts. He sits on the floor in front of the couch and begins browsing. It’s too early for Niles to be online, he works openings on weekends; Odin is Leo’s opposite, awake and spritely every weekday and entirely unconscious until noon on Sunday. Part of Leo’s mind briefly considers his slothful summer, noon was where one should draw the line about being in bed. It only becomes more exhausting after that. Draining. He sighs that train of thought away and logs in as dark_mage_Bryn.

   Bryn’s new profile was much tidier than it had been. Clean and succinct. His new icon was an embossed drawing Odin had presented as a ‘get well soon’ card at the beginning of the summer. But perhaps he’d been too presumptuous about how simple this would’ve been, his friends list was still severely lacking. Apparently in his absence the userbase had grown, but had significantly decreased in skill. He sent out an open game request and opened a new tab.

“Good morning, Leo. Would you like some breakfast?” Xander skirted around the back of the couch, trying to peer at the screen. Leo sniffed.

“Are you cooking or is this a ‘time to get a watch’ sort of deal?” Xander laughed from the kitchen. “Can we have French toast?” Leo’s laptop pinged, game accepted. He switches tabs again, posture straightening and hands tapping at his mouse. He almost snorts when he sees the screenname, it’s not too far from his own thematically, but it’s alliteratively ridiculous. “Arch-archer.” He mutters to himself. Xander doesn’t hear him, or if he has heard, knows better than to ask. The game request pings to life on his screen, the chat bar filling rapidly.

               ‘ **ArchArcher** has accepted your game request!’

               ‘ **ArchArcher** : hello｡ are you ready to play｡’

               ‘you best prepare yourself! i do not lose easy｡ ’

    Leo can’t hold back a smile when he sees that cocky opener.

               ‘ **dark_mage_Bryn** : Looking forward to it.’

For the first couple of moves Leo copies him, eager to see him respond in kind. Letting out a bishop and knight to ward away their queen. They keep their advances to the centre of the board. Leo smirks a bit when ArchArcher retreats from swathe of pawns. There is series of quick captures and Leo is only down a pawn and a bishop when ArchArcher is forced onto the defensive; with one of Leo’s knight’s half nestled into their back rank. Leo just keeps eating pieces after that and some twenty moves later ArchArcher is checkmated with only seven of his pieces left on the board. ArchArcher is completely silent in the chat.

               ‘ **dark_mage_Bryn** : I hope you weren’t pulling my leg.’

               ‘ **ArchArcher** : i am not｡ werent looks ridiculous so that you know｡’

    ArchArcher resets the board. They bring their first knight into play on their second move and begin snatching pawns. Leo keeps testing the waters as ArchArcher sets up a bishop and then it slides right into the corner of the board. Leo scoffs and captures it immediately.

               ‘ **dark_mage_Bryn** : What was that?’

               ‘ **ArchArcher** : an accident! i am on a phone call｡’

               ‘the worst thing that could ever happen is happening｡’

Leo feels almost sorry for that miserable capture; but ArchArcher insists he can claw back a winning chance. They snatch Leo’s pawns one after another, and one of his knights. Leo doesn’t touch his home rank until he has a third rook on the board. ArchArcher snatching it is how Leo pins him; between his queen and one of his original rooks, making an unimpeded move from one side of the board to the other. Just short of twenty moves. ArchArcher doesn’t offer any commentary this time, not even when Leo prompts that this match doesn’t need to count. He’s only semi-aware of shuffling in the kitchen.

    Leo resets the board. ArchArcher is quick on the draw with his bishops again, but there are no depressing mis-clicks. It’s a more serious match than the last, Leo hopes they aren’t too embarrassed. ArchArcher is cagey at the beginning and at ten moves in has only forfeited a bishop. They’re trying to bait Leo forward. Leo knows the match is tense but he feels a little unwound, maybe? The stakes are non-existent and the conversation isn’t anything to scoff at either. It’s nice. ArchArcher is walling pawns around his pieces, still trying to bait Leo into using his defacto cannon. Three moves later it’s a rapid grab for pieces. Leo loses the arm of his canon but ArchArcher’s major pieces have been scattered and captured in shocking succession. ArchArcher can’t take back their lead and is left dancing out of check until they’re caught between a knight, queen and their own pawn. The effort was ferocious however.

               ‘ **dark_mage_Bryn** : That was much better than the last one.’

               ‘ **ArchArcher** : what does that matter! the last one didnt count!’

               ‘ **dark_mage_Bryn** : I don’t remember you taking me up on that…’

    The chat explodes beneath the game after his third win. It’s a legitimate struggle not to laugh at how quickly the indignant scrawl as it appears. He doesn’t notice his brother coming to peer over his shoulder until he puts a plate of French toast next to Leo’s laptop. The little ‘clink’ making him jump. Xander raises an eyebrow.

“Having fun?” He offers Leo a tub of strawberries. “You haven’t played in a while.”

“I know.” Leo stacks them on top of his breakfast in a precarious pyramid. “I’m so rusty I can hear my joints creaking every time I move a piece.”

Xander snorts and retreats to the kitchen to grab a plate of his own.

“It’s too early in the morning for jokes, don’t you think?” Xander titters. Leo makes a dissenting noise around a mouthful of food. Xander doesn’t comment; Leo’s comfortable, it’s important for him to re-establish himself at home. “Go wake Elise, won’t you?”

Leo fumbles his phone into calling Elise as he scans the tirade brewing in the chat.

               ‘ **ArchArcher** : i can see you ignoring me!’

               ‘it tells me youre reading these!’

               ‘rude and nasty｡ play me again｡’

               ‘ **dark_mage_Bryn** : Sorry, I’m eating my breakfast.’

               ‘Are you really that eager to lose four times in a row?’

               ‘ **ArchArcher** : those are fighting words! prepare to have me destroy you｡’

Leo laughs into the crook of his elbow half choking on a strawberry. Elise thunders down the stairs, zooming past Leo and into the kitchen. He can’t look away from the screen as they argue in the kitchen, or as Xander starts explaining where he’s going to be today; in the hotel pick up getting the summer flowers until three, heavy lifting in the hotel terrace until this evening. Elise is making dinner tonight. Leo is to take it easy, but if he feels up to it he can tackle the laundry. School starting up is a stressful time and it is paramount that Leo does not feel over worked. He bites his lip as ArchArcher begins his play.

    Leo copies ArchArcher’s opening catching him pawn for pawn, a show of bravado to rile him up. Following the last matches, Leo doesn’t at all expect his queen to be taken on the third move. A horrifying oversight from an excess of dicking around. ArchArcher comes aggressive on his flank following his sacrificial capture and takes a bishop before Leo can fully recover. He actually laughs aloud at how badly this is going. He manages to box his king safely in what can only be described as an ‘arrowhead of buffoonery’ while his opponent sets up for another cautious flank. Elise has landed on the couch behind him prodding at his shoulder.

“I’m going for a shower. Can you answer the door if we’ve got any post?” She leans her chin on the top of his head. “Are you playing with your friends?”

“Not really, just a random match up.” Leo bites his lip as a second attack begins with his bishop hemmed by pawns.

“That little counter says you’re on game four, right?” Elise nudges him.

“A potential friend then.”

Elise hums against his hair, content. She reminds him to wash it before going back upstairs. The endgame is fast paced, his saving grace is an awkwardly placed pawn which keeps ArchArcher still while he brings his rook into a checkmate. It was a very exciting almost loss.

               ‘ **ArchArcher** : i feel very accomplished｡’

               ‘do you feel destroyed enough｡’

               ‘but i think if i catch you again i could destroy you more｡’

               ‘ **dark_mage_Bryn** : That was an incredible opener, both queens decimated in three moves.’

               ‘What do you mean if you catch me again?’

               ‘Tired of me already?’

               ‘ **ArchArcher** : not tired! im busy｡ i must meet with my friends｡’

               ‘ **dark_mage_Bryn** : Atleast add me.’

               ‘ **ArchArcher** : /at least/ add you｡ does this have a friend feature｡’

               ‘never mind I found it｡’

               ‘ **dark_mage_Bryn** : See you again sometime. Have fun with your friends.’

               ‘ **ArchArcher** : i will｡have a good morning｡’

It’s hardly morning anymore when Leo unfurls himself from the tense little knot he had unwittingly curled into. That was fun, more fun than he’d had online in quite some time.

    Leo tipped his head back to look at the lamp shade. He’d had fun for – he briefly glanced to the clock – an hour and a half online. If he went for a short shower straight after Elise, he could be presentable by noon. His gaze trailed away from the lamp shade, spots and smears decorating his vision of the living room. If he was dressed by noon he could visit Niles during his break, make plans for later, grab Odin on the way there even. Leo scrubs his hands over his eyes. He could do that, maybe not as quickly as it played out in his head but he could get it done. He could do the laundry when he gets back. Odin would be eager to help out if Leo brought him back after. The idea made his hands tremble, he rests them on the table and presses his palms flat on the smooth wood as the tremors begin to force their way to his elbows. His home is clean and safe and Odin wouldn’t make it unsafe. Odin was safe and would be safe in his home. He’d invite Odin in if he had the energy after visiting Niles.

“Leo! Shower’s free!” Elise called form the top step.

Leo’s gaze flits to the clock again and he winces. Half an hour wasn’t too bad; it wasn’t good but he was easily roused at least.

“Thank you, Elise!” He closes his laptop and tucks it under his arm, pausing to confirm his security before he makes his way to the stairs. He keeps one hand on the banister and pretends that whatever sparking anxiety he’d lost a half hour to wasn’t ghosting through his fingertips. He cleared his throat at the towel cupboard. “I’m going to visit Niles later; will you be okay at home?”

She burst out of her room in summery shorts.

“Of course, I will. You’ll call me when you’re coming home, right?” She’s smiling wider than she had at breakfast. “I need a head start so I can clear the party out before you get here.” She taps Leo’s arm when he grimaces. “Can Effie come over?”

“If she’s free, she’s welcome.”

Elise gives his arm a squeeze before going to the stairwell.

“Thanks Leo!” She calls back as an afterthought.

Leo walks into the bathroom. He listens very carefully for whether or not Elise comes back upstairs before shrugging off his pyjamas and turning on the shower. She doesn’t. He sighs out his relief under the lukewarm water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I think I'm going to aim for the start/end and middle of each month. I tried to give myself a head start in June so that I can keep a more consistent update schedule in future. I think the texting is an okay format but if you think it could be better formatted, let me know by dropping me a comment.


End file.
